- US soldiers recently finished another round of testing on the Army's new artillery targeting system at Fort Greely.
- The new system has been praised for its size and sophistication.
- One Army official has said the new device can turn artillery "into a giant sniper rifle."
ADVERTISEMENT
US soldiers tested the new targeting system that can turn artillery into a 'giant sniper rifle' — and they liked what they saw
"This system is definitely a major jump from what forward observers are used," one soldier said.
US Army Field Artillery soldiers recently wrapped up testing of the Joint Effects Targeting System Target Laser Designation System on the rugged terrain of the Cold Regions Test Center at Fort Greely in Alaska.
The JETS handheld targeting system "is a paradigm shift" in how field artillery can be used on the battlefield, Lt. Col. Michael Frank, product manager for Soldier Precision Targeting Devices, said in October. The system could turn a howitzer or the Paladin self-propelled artillery weapon "into a giant sniper rifle," he added.
The JETS target-locator module weighs less than 5.5 pounds, and the entire system, including a tripod and batteries, weights about 20 pounds.
ADVERTISEMENT
JETS underwent testing during 2017, including airdrop tests at Fort Bragg in North Carolina in August as well as operational testing at Fort Greely in October.
The Army said at the end of 2017 that it expected to wrap up JETS testing in early 2018 and have the system in the hands of every forward-observation team by the middle of the year.
The soldiers at Fort Greely, who spent a month with the system, looked forward to using it in the field.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
ADVERTISEMENT